Gulf Oil Spill Recovery Special Report

The oil has stopped spewing from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf Coast. The BP operated rig exploded on April 20 this year, killing 11 people and dumping more than 205 million gallons of oil into the gulf.

The well was capped in August, but not before oil had washed up on beaches and in the marshes along the coastlines of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida.

Oil has also threatened wildlife along the coast, coating birds, fish, and turtles. Marine mammals have been pushed out of their natural waters closer to shore, where they struggle or oxygen and food. Meanwhile, the growth of future generations of animals is in question as experts wait to see how the oil spill will affect this year's spawning season.

Recovery efforts are under way, but what is being done and how long will it take?

Scholastic's team of Kid Reporters is looking for the answers from around the country. Check out their reports in this Special Report on the Gulf Oil Spill Recovery.

Articles

More Than a Theme Park
by Shelby Fallin
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Sea World has amazing rides and shows, but have you ever thought of it being one of the top animal rescuing centers in the world? Not only does it help kids have fun anytime of year, Sea World also helps rescue sea creatures every day.

How to Save the Birds
by Jonas Hosmer
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Kid Reporter Jonas Hosmer recently interviewed Dan Boritt, bird curator at the National Zoo in Washington, D.C. They talked about the affect of the Gulf oil spill on birds and what experts are doing to keep them clean.

Caring for Injured Turtles
by Abigayle Lista
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Kid Reporter Abi Lista talks to Jamie Mullinsof the Audubon Aquarium of New Orleans about the 174 turtles currently being cared for at the aquarium and rehab center. The turtles were injured in the recent oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico.

Young Reporter in the Gulf
by Charlie Kadado
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
When she first heard about the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, 17-year-old Caroline Shinkle, the managing editor of her high school newspaper in Detroit, Michigan, quickly made plans to cover the story firsthand.

Tar Balls Dot Gulf Beaches
by Erin Sheena
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Tar balls have been appearing on beaches along the Gulf of Mexico since oil companies first began drilling there. The recent oil spill, however, is now dotting beaches from Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida with more tar balls than ever before.

A Way to Help the Animals
by Chloe Conway
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Six-year-old Anna Rose Rudy loves animals. When she heard about the Deepwater Horizon oil rig explosion and the millions of gallons of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico, she wanted to do something to help the animals.

NOAA Leads Oil Spill Study
by Danielle Azzolina
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Surface oil in the Gulf of Mexico is 75 per cent gone, experts say, but what about the long-term effects of the oil on the ecosystem? The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) is studying that question.

Book Review: Oil Spill: Disaster In The Gulf
by Alysa Goethe
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
If you want to know all about the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, Scholastic has the book for you. Oil Spill: Disaster In The Gulf has a lot of information about that and other spills the U.S. has faced.

Oil Spill in Michigan
by Charlie Kadado
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
Michigan residents are learning that oil spills don't just happen in the Gulf of Mexico. Marshall Township was recently shaken by a pipeline spill that has spewed more than 1 million gallons of oil onto and in the Kalamazoo River.

Hair Helps Out
by Nick Berray
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
What's the best way to clean up a huge oil spill? That question has a multitude of answers, but one of the most interesting solutions has come from the Matter of Trust organization: Hair!

Oil Spill a Top Priority
by Susan Hepburn
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
nullnull,null
As the nation continues to recover from a severe recession, the oil spill and the November elections suddenly loom large on the political landscape.

Resources

Blogging the Recovery in the Gulf
Scholastic Kids Press Corps |
Posts from the Scholastic Kids Press Corps about how the Gulf Oil Spill has impacted that region and what the people are doing to clean up.

Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico Special Report
Scholastic News Online |
Scholastic News Online is tracking the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. This is a collection of news stories, video, and other resources that will grow as the events of this environmental disaster unfold.